


Blast from the Past

by Niko_akame



Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 12:59:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19441945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niko_akame/pseuds/Niko_akame
Summary: Eliot and Deirdre had been partners in a special task force. After one night of passion, Eliot disappeared. Two years later, he needs De's help. Will she be willing to offer it? Will he be willing to walk away this time?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just for fun, something to get me through the writer's block on my actual book.

The window in my bunk was open. Outside I could hear the sounds of multiple people doing their jobs on the base. The spring wind pushed my red hair away from my face and I closed my eyes with a sigh. Today was my last day here. My team had finished our last job together and tomorrow we were going home. Although I wasn’t sure where that was anymore. I could return to Ireland. My Da would be ecstatic if I joined the family business. Or I could follow my dream and become a novelist. That could be done from anywhere. As long as I got away from here. I let my mind drift away to the events of the past week. 

My team consisted of a group of specialists from around the world. Each with a specific skill set designed to make our missions go off without a problem. The six of us had been working together for two years. Our last mission we liberated a small country from their tyrant of a leader. He’d hoarded his government’s money while his people starved and died in the streets. Recently he’d started murdering innocents based on rumors of uprising. We’d gotten the job done quickly with no issues. They now had a leader that would help their country grow and the people prosper. We’d flown back and gone out last night to celebrate. Knowing it was one of our last nights together I had done something incredibly stupid. 

Our set up of six people broke off into teams of two for every mission. My partner of the last two years, Eliot Spencer, had saved my life more than once and I’d returned the favor a time or two. Over the time we’d worked together we shared a lot with each other. I told him things no one outside the family knew. He opened up to me as well and I developed feelings for him over time. My Da had always told me to go for what I wanted so I’d gotten myself put together and marched into the bar. My hair had been curled, makeup applied, and the most feminine outfit that I’ve ever owned adorned my body. Eliot stared at me in shock as I walked up to him with a smile. I gave the speech I’d prepared and watched his face shut down more with each word I spoke. By the end, his face was blank and my heart was breaking. 

“I'm sorry, darlin’. I don't feel the same,” he said simply. Then he turned and walked away. I had left right after and come straight here. I sighed, bringing myself back to the present. I looked over at my half packed suitcase and then back out the window. The sun was sinking below the horizon and tomorrow was our debriefing. I needed to get packed and get to sleep. 

I closed the window and turned back to the suitcase but a knock on the door stopped me from continuing. I opened the door and my eyes widened, “Eliot.” 

“Can I come in?” he asked quietly. I nodded and he walked past me into the small room. I suddenly felt a little claustrophobic as I waited for him to speak. 

“Why did you tell me that last night?” he asked. 

“I didn’t want to leave and regret not saying it,” I told him truthfully. 

Eliot ran a hand over his face, “I wish like hell you hadn’t said anything.” 

“I'm sorry?” I wasn’t really sure what was happening so I didn’t say anything further. 

“No, don’t apologize. I should be the one apologizing. I lied to you. I feel the same about you. I was up all night wishing I’d replied differently. But damn it, Deirdre, you know how dangerous our lives are. The last thing we need is to get involved in something like this,” his eyes were pleading. 

I swallowed and gave a nod, “I understand. Thank you for explaining. I should be getting to sleep now.” I opened the door and waited for him to leave. 

“Is that what you want, De? You want me to leave?” he moved a step closer. 

“Is there anything else to say?” I shrugged. He walked towards the door but stopped in front of me. He looked me in the eyes and placed a hand on my cheek. Eliot leaned forward and gently placed his lips on mine. The kiss was sweet and I found myself moving closer, deepening the contact. 

Eliot pulled away and brushed his thumb across my cheek, “I guess that’s all I have to say.” He walked out and I closed the door behind him. Was I an idiot for letting him walk away? Him wanting me back was exactly what I was hoping for. I tore the door open, “Eliot, wait.” 

He turned back and I froze. What should I say now? “I… I mean, you can come back if you…” I hadn’t finished whatever awkward sentence I was trying to form by the time he reached me. He placed an arm around my waist and pulled me close. He kissed me again and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He lifted me long enough to get us back into the room. He kicked the door closed and I pulled off his shirt and mine after. His fingers slid up my back and unhooked my bra. I stepped back and he ran his hands up my sides to cup my breasts. I knelt down in the floor and pulled his belt off. One good tug and his pants were under his feet. I took a moment to admire the size of him before I placed my mouth over the tip. I heard him groan and I sucked a little harder. He reached down and pulled me back up to my feet. My pants were pushed down and then he was kissing me again. He stepped back until my legs hit the bed and then we were tumbling down. He slid a finger into me and I whimpered against his lips. He put another finger in and rubbed my clit with his thumb. Soon I could feel the pressure building. 

“I don’t want to wait any longer. I need inside of you,” he whispered in my ear. 

“Please,” I begged and that was all he needed. He moved between my legs and slid into me. I lifted my hips to meet his thrusts. I reached down and rubbed my clit. Eliot moved deeper into me and that took me over the edge. I came around him screaming into his mouth as he kissed me to silence the noise. He growled and came with me. After a few moments we came back to reality and shifted so that we fit better in the small twin bed. My back was to the wall and he had an arm around me. I had one leg draped over his and my head was on his shoulder. 

“I’ve been dreaming about that for two years,” he said quietly. 

“Did it live up to your expectations?” I asked hesitantly. 

“It exceeded them,” he pulled the blanket over us. We talked late into the night, both avoiding the subject of tomorrow. I asked him once if he knew where he was going but he only shook his head. I fell asleep shortly after and the room was empty when I woke up. I quickly threw my things into my suitcase and headed out for the debriefing. Eliot was probably already there and I wanted to talk to him about last night. I walked into the room, but Eliot wasn’t anywhere around. Our Captain called us to the table and we sat silently. I listened with half an ear at what he was saying, only giving my full attention when he dismissed us for the last time. Everyone left, this group wasn’t the emotional kind, and I walked up to the Captain. 

“Sir, have you seen Spencer?” I inquired. 

“Spencer left earlier this morning. He was put on a solo mission so I sent him upstairs. Even I don’t know where they sent him.” 

“Thank you, sir,” I cleared my throat and headed back for my suitcase. Eliot had deliberately left before the meeting, electing to go on a potential suicide mission just so he wouldn’t have to speak to me. I got the hint. I picked up my cell phone and took a breath. I dialed a number I knew by heart. 

“Da? I'm coming home,” I told my father as he picked up. Two hours later I was on a flight to Ireland.


	2. Reunited

~2 and half years later~ 

“Jimmy’s father died, and his only living relative is his sister. She begged us to move here to be closer. There was nothing keeping us in Ireland so we began looking into options. These men approached us and said they’d heard about our situation. They offered us a flight to the US at a much cheaper rate than the main airlines. They said they even had work for Jimmy. When we arrived they explained the job was joining the Irish mob. We never had the intention of anything like this. They threatened our boy, so Jimmy went. We haven’t seen him in three days. I just didn’t know who else to turn to, Mr. Ford. They told me you're a problem solver,” Mrs. Walsh wiped her eyes. A serious young boy sat next to her. 

“We’ll look into it, Mrs. Walsh. I'll give you a call as soon as I know something,” Nathan Ford smiled at her reassuringly. He watched her leave with her son and turned to Eliot and Hardison. 

“This one is tough. The entire mob?” Hardison looked between the two other men. 

“We’ll need someone on the inside. We don’t have the kind of time it'll take to get someone that far in,” Nate shook his head. 

“I know someone, but Nate, she isn’t going to want to talk to me,” Eliot warned. 

“What did you do to her?” Nate asked. Eliot shook his head without an answer and they all went upstairs. Hardison got the name from Eliot. 

“Alright, Deirdre O’Sullivan. Award winning author, writes under a pen name. B.A. Morry. Resides in Ireland. Wait, how is a novelist going to help us?” Hardison asked. 

“Look up her dad,” Eliot answered. 

“Benjamin O’Sullivan. Oh he’s a mob boss. And very high on the food chain too,” Hardison showed them some things on the screen. 

“But he runs his end of things peacefully. No one has been hurt or killed in his part of town for years,” Eliot informed them. 

“Okay, so her father is a big shot. We need him, not her. How can she help us?” Parker asked. 

“She speaks six languages and is trained in five different martial arts. She’s also highly skilled with most weapons,” Eliot explained. As he spoke, Hardison pulled a photo up on the screen. Eliot felt like someone punched him. He was standing next to De in the photo and they were smiling. 

“Where’d you get that?” he asked the hacker. 

“Her email,” Hardison shrugged. 

“Alright, can we get her here?” Nate asked. 

“She’s actually coming next week for a book signing, I can add a stop for this weekend and move her arrival up,” Hardison typed for a moment, “Alright, she'll be here in two days.” 

~ 

I sighed when I got the call from my manager, “Aye, I understand. Portland, two days. I'll leave tonight. They better be paying me extra.” I hung up and looked at my sister, “Up for a trip, Trish?” 

“Yeah, I'll pack up,” she hopped up and I looked around. I had only had one more stop on this tour then nothing for the next three months. Suddenly they wanted another stop. I moved to pack my things after checking the amount of money this new book store was paying. I could make an exception for that. 

~ 

Eliot watched as Deirdre exited the restaurant with two large bags in hand. Seeing her after two years hit him hard. He wanted to talk to her, but knew that would blow any chance they had at helping the Walsh family. He looked again at the bags. That was too much food for one person. Had she married since he’d left? Hardison hadn’t said anything about a husband. She lifted her left hand and pushed her glasses up. No ring, so who was the extra food for? She began walking towards him. He ducked back behind a wall to avoid being seen. 

“Nate, she’s on the move,” he said into the comm. 

“Hello, Ms. O’Sullivan,” he heard Nate speak. 

~ 

I froze and turned slowly. No one here should know me by that name. The man had dark curly hair and a benevolent smile on his face. I looked him up and down. He didn’t look like a threat, but I probably didn’t to most people either. I waited for him to speak. 

“My name is Nathan Ford. I need your help,” he moved closer to me. 

“What help could I be of to you? Do you want your autobiography written? I'm strictly a fantasy kind of girl,” I told him. 

“My team and I, we need the type of help someone like your father may provide,” he shrugged. 

“Then I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place. Good day,” I turned and walked away. 

“A good man’s life is in danger,” he called out. 

“And my dinner is getting cold. Both are tragedies,” I kept walking. I had no idea who he thought my father was but I wanted nothing to do with the mob. After coming home, my father had quickly agreed he didn’t want me a part of it either. Our reasons had been the same, and I'd started writing again. Life had finally gotten to some semblance of normal. I wouldn’t allow anything or anyone to change that. I took the long way to the hotel in case I was being followed. I called my sister to let her know I was back and stepped out of the elevator. I pulled my key card out of my pocket and looked back towards the room. My heart stopped and I wasn’t sure it would ever beat again. Eliot, my Eliot, was standing with his hand poised to knock on my door. I dropped my key card, I heard the bags of food hit the ground and my feet were moving before my brain had the chance to think. He turned and saw me walking towards him. He opened his arms and I flung myself into them. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and held on for dear life. Before, in my dreams, he’d always disappeared when I got this close. Eliot pulled me close, one hand in my hair and his other arm wrapped around my waist. For a moment, everything was alright again.


	3. Catie Girl

Eliot pulled De into his arms, fisting a hand in her hair. God, he’d missed how she felt, how she smelled. He forgot the others were there. All that mattered was her. The door to the hotel room opened. He felt Deirdre shift and then suddenly she was pushing away from him. 

“You're with him?” she asked as she nodded to Nate. 

“We need your help,” Eliot told her sincerely. Deirdre opened her mouth to reply but closed it as a delighted scream came from behind her. 

“Mum, mum, mum!” a chubby toddler in a green dress came out and wrapped her arms around De's legs. 

“De,” Eliot asked around the sudden lump in his throat, “How old is she?” Deirdre picked the baby up and Eliot looked into blue eyes that reminded him very much of his own. 

~ 

“Two years, next month,” I answered Eliot as I turned away from him, “You might as well come in. Seems we have some things to talk about.” 

“Isn’t this dangerous, someone with your past not having more security?” Nate inquired. 

“Had you come in with the wrong intention, you wouldn’t have made it by Trish,” I laughed. They all looked at Trish. She smiled at them politely, giving a wink before she took the baby from me, “Let’s give them a moment, aye?” I motioned to the balcony and Eliot followed me out. He watched me in silence for a moment, delaying the inevitable. 

“Is she…?” He started. 

“Aye,” I answered before he could finish, “She’s yours." 

He let out a heavy sigh, “Damn it, De. Were you ever going to tell me?” 

“I tried to tell ya!” I replied, my accent coming out full force. I took a deep breath and tried to continue more calmly. “I went back to the base as soon as I found out. You weren’t there and your records had been scrubbed. I did some research but you were a ghost. I thought you were dead, Eliot,” I wiped a tear from my face and looked away. What the hell was I crying for? He had left me with no explanation and I had stilled grieved him when I thought he was dead. I felt another tear roll down my cheek but it was Eliot’s hand that brushed it away. 

“I'm sorry, De. I know it won’t mean much, but I am,” he stepped back, “What’s her name?” 

“Catriona. We call her Cate. Would you like to meet her? Officially?” I asked. 

“Yeah, I would,” he nodded. 

I opened the door, “Catie girl, come here.” I knelt down and smiled as she hurried over to me. She flung herself into my arms. I picked her up and we stepped back out to give Eliot privacy to meet his daughter. 

“Cate, this is your da. Eliot, this is Cate,” I handed her to him. Eliot took her and she smiled at him, “My Da?” 

He laughed and told her, “Yeah I guess I am.” Cate grabbed his face in her chubby hands and gave him a slobbery kiss on the cheek. 

“Would you like to stay for dinner? Since you’re with Mr. Ford, I’m assuming you’re here to talk,” I opened the door and headed back in to the room. My sister and the others were discussing Ireland, as strangers do to pass the time. They all became quiet when they saw Eliot holding Catriona. 

“He’s my Da,” Cate told everyone seriously and a group laugh broke a little of the tension. 

“Well, I didn’t bring enough for everyone, so let's order some pizza. After we eat, I'll listen to what you have to say Mr. Ford. Though I make no promises,” I pulled out my phone and ordered some food. Eliot sat Cate down and we continued the polite conversation of “Yes, Ireland is beautiful” and “Portland is a great city” and a little of my writing. The pizza came and we ate, laughing as Cate danced and generally enjoyed being the center of attention. A couple of hours passed and I checked the time. 

“Alright, Cate, time for bed,” I said as I stood from the couch. The hotel the bookstore booked for us was very nice. There was a sitting room and the beds were separate. After she was asleep we could talk without fear of disturbing her. She made a face at me and I shook my head, “None of that, Catriona. You know the deal.” 

“Biscuit?” she asked hopefully. 

“Tomorrow when you wake up,” I scooped her up and headed towards the bedroom. 

“Can I help?” Eliot asked, also standing. I nodded to him. She was his daughter after all. 

“Why did she ask for a biscuit?” Parker whispered loudly. 

“It means cookie,” Trish told her with a laugh. I took Cate into the bathroom and got her cleaned up from dinner. I put her in clean pajamas and took her back to the bedroom where Eliot stood. Cate held her arms out to him and gave him a quick hug before jumping into the bed with a giggle. 

“G'night, Da,” she said as she climbed under the covers. I saw Eliot rub his chest and I tucked her in. “Sing the song?” she asked. 

“Aye, love,” I sat next to her and ran my hand over her head as I sang the words of her favorite lullaby, “Rest tired eyes a while, sweet is the baby’s smile. Angel’s are guarding and they watch o'er thee. Sleep, sleep, grah mo chree. Here on your momma’s knee. Angels are guarding and they watch o'er thee.” She was asleep before the song was over and I made sure again the blankets were tucked close. I stood and turned to see Eliot staring at me.


	4. Sister's Love

Eliot rubbed his chest as Cate told him good night. There was an ache there every time she called him Da. She asked for a lullaby and he listened as Deirdre sang. Cate’s eyes began to drift closed as De played with her hair and soon she was asleep. Deirdre stood and turned to face Eliot. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked. He realized he was still staring. 

“Nothing. She’s beautiful. You both are. I'm just thinking about everything I've missed,” he said seriously. 

He saw Deirdre clench her teeth, but then she sighed, “Aye, but luckily I'm one of those annoying parents that videos everything. I have her first steps and many others. I'll show you soon?” 

“I'd like that. Your accent is stronger,” he said without thinking. 

“I’ve been in Ireland for the last two years. No need to hide it anymore,” she laughed, “We should get back to the others.” He nodded and they stepped outside. She looked one last time at Cate before closing the door. 

“Alright, Mr. Ford. What kind of help do you need from me?” Deirdre asked as she sat back down. Eliot half listened as Nate explained everything. His eyes were on Deirdre as she nodded and took in all the information. He looked over once to see Trish staring at him. He stood and walked over the small counter they’d left the drinks on. When he returned, Trish's glare found him again. What had De told her family? 

~ 

I listened gravely as they explained the situation to me. I looked over at my sister as Nate finished the story and raised an eyebrow. She nodded, she thought we should help too, “Alright, what do you need from me?” 

“We need someone to go in with some semblance of authority and shake things up. We can get Mr. Walsh and set his family up somewhere they will be safe,” Nate answered. 

“I have a book signing tomorrow night, but I can start after that,” I offered. 

“Actually, we are the book signing,” Hardison said. 

“Come again?” I inquired. 

“We booked you so you would come here,” Eliot explained. 

“Well, let's get started tomorrow then,” I agreed. Everyone stood to leave and Eliot stopped at the door, “Can I come back? In the morning, I mean. See some of those videos?” 

I nodded, “It'd be good for her to spend time with you.” He gave me a smile and then followed his team down the hall. I closed the door and stood staring into space for a second. 

“You good?” Trish asked me. 

“No, not really. Let's get this cleaned up,” I moved to pick up the mess from dinner and we got it done quickly. 

“How are you going to handle this? You know he’ll want to be a part of her life. How can you do that an ocean apart?” Trish asked me quietly. 

“I just found out the man was alive after two years of thinking he was dead. Can you give me some space to process that first?” I laughed. She nodded and we went to bed shortly after. 

~ 

Eliot knocked on the door and smiled at Trish when she answered the door. She glared at him before letting him in. He awkwardly sat, holding the teddy bear he’d bought in his hands, “Where’s De?” He smiled at Cate, who was sitting in a high chair happily eating breakfast. 

“In the shower,” Trish answered shortly. 

“Did I do something to offend you?” Eliot asked cautiously. 

“Other than breaking my sister’s heart and leaving her pregnant?” she asked sweetly. 

“I didn’t know,” he said gruffly. 

“Aye, but had you stayed, you would have. She didn’t show any emotion until she went to find you. When she heard you were dead, I was the one with her as she cried while she grieved you. She won’t tell you, but she had a rough pregnancy. She was very sick, in the hospital a lot. One night we were there and De hadn’t slept. She was a little delirious. She stared at the ceiling and said, ‘Do you think he ever thought of me?’ and then she cried some more. So yes, you did do something to offend me, Mr. Spencer,” Trish said as she picked Cate up and headed into the bedroom before he could respond. 

De walked out almost immediately after, drying her hair with a towel. She looked back at the now closed door, “What did you do?” 

“A lot, apparently,” he stood and handed her the bear, “I brought this for Cate.” 

“Hold onto it, when she's cleaned up you can give it to her. I have the computer set up with a few of those videos,” she opened her laptop and pulled up a video. Eliot sat and watched Cate take her first steps. 

“Just click to get through them. I'm gonna go get Cate cleaned up,” she headed back into the room as Eliot watched the videos. He knew he had no one to blame but himself. If he’d stayed just until that morning, if he’d kept in contact with her then he could’ve been there for these things. He could play the what if game all day, but right now he needed to get to know his daughter.


	5. Rescue complete?

“What’d you say to him?” I asked Trish as I wiped the pancake syrup off of Cate's face. 

“I do it,” Cate took the cloth from me and scooted close to the mirror to clean her face. 

“I have no idea what you're on about,” Trish said from the bedroom. 

“Oh aye? Eliot looks like someone just shot him. It wasn’t me, so what did you say?” I demanded. 

“All done!” Cate smiled. I smiled back and finished the spots she missed. I sat her on her feet and she took off for the sitting room, “Da!” My smile grew as I saw her hop into Eliot’s arms through the now open door. He handed her the teddy bear and they sat together playing for a moment. I turned back to my sister with a raised eyebrow. 

“I may have mentioned how rough your pregnancy was,” she mumbled. 

“Damn it, Trish. No wonder he was gobsmacked,” I took a breath and headed back out with a smile. The next few hours went surprisingly well. I didn’t say anything to Eliot about what he and Trish had discussed. We took Cate out and just spent time letting Eliot learn how to be a parent. We took Cate to a local playground and watched as she played with the other children. 

“Thank you for letting me do this,” he told me. I nodded, not wanting this to get more emotional than it needed to be. Thankfully Nate called Eliot at that point. They had an in. We took Cate back to the hotel with Trish and Eliot left me to get ready. After getting back to Ireland and having Cate, I had gone into the family business for a while. I'd built quite a reputation for myself before my Da and I had agreed it would be better for Cate if I left. I went into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. Dark jeans and combat books, topped with a tight black corset shirt. My hair was braided to the side and I had dark eyeshadow on. Trish helped me paint my nails black and I cocked my head to the side as I took in the full appearance. It would have to do. 

~ 

“You look terrifying,” Eliot heard Hardison say. He turned to see what was going on. De stood in front of Hardison and she looked amazing. He’d never seen her dressed the way she was and it made him a little speechless. 

“Eliot. Something wrong?” Sophie asked him. He turned, shook his head, and went to talk to De but she and Hardison were gone. He turned back to Sophie, “No, I'm fine. Why?” 

“You just looked a little flustered,” Sophie crossed her arms. 

“Sophie,” Eliot started, “I know I don’t do this often but can I ask you something?” 

~ 

“These are the comms. Everyone else already has theirs. Just put it in your ear and I'll activate them so you can see how they work,” Hardison handed me a small earbud and I put it in my ear. He pushed some buttons on his computer and on the screen green dots appeared next to everyone’s name. Before I could test it out, I heard Eliot’s voice. 

“Her sister told me the pregnancy was rough and that she wanted to know if I ever thought about her one bad night at the hospital,” he was saying. Hardison opened his mouth to speak but I stopped him. 

“And did you think about her?” Sophie replied. 

“Every damn day for the last two years,” he sighed. 

“Then why didn’t you go back?” 

“I'd already accepted another mission earlier that week. I was going to come back after but things went wrong during the operation. After that there was just never a chance. I told myself she was better off.” Hardison pressed a button and the colors next to our names went red. 

“I won’t say anything if you don’t,” Hardison told me. I nodded, my thoughts flying through my head. Eliot had accepted the mission before our night together. He was going to come back. What had happened during the mission? Hardison reactivated all comms, speaking loudly, “Hey guys I just gave Deirdre her comms. Are you ready to go?” The door to the van opened a few moments later and Eliot stood there. I climbed out the back and Sophie climbed in. 

“That’s the place,” Eliot nodded towards a warehouse at the edge of the docks. I checked my knives, the ones visible and the ones not, and turned to him. 

“Don’t speak. Stand behind me, look menacing, grunt or growl if I ask you a question. Glare at anyone else that dares speak to you,” I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for his acceptance. He grunted at me, a small smile on his lips. “Good,” I cracked my knuckles, “Let’s go break up the party.” We walked down to the door and without hesitation I kicked it in. Four men at a table stood, and the barrel of four guns pointed towards us. I smiled darkly. I may not have wanted this life, but I was good at it. 

“Oh, I wouldn’t be doin' something like that,” I told them. The biggest one cocked his head at me. 

“I know you,” he lowered his gun slightly. 

“As well you should,” I walked in further, ignoring the other three, “The name’s Demon and I'm here because you dipshits don’t know what in the feck you're doin'.” 

“Demon,” a second guy laughed, “I heard you'd retired.” 

Quick as lightning I pulled one of my throwing knives. Before he could move it was embedded in the table before him, inches from his crotch. I watched him gulp. 

“I don’t like your laugh, boyo,” I glared at him. 

The big one pointed his chin to Eliot, “Who’s this, then?” 

I turned to Eliot, showing my back to the men. Not a symbol of trust, but a show that I know they wouldn’t try anything. I ran my hand down his arm lightly, smiling behind me at the men. “He’s an enforcer. Not necessarily needed, but I like the look of him. Plus he keeps me from havin’ to get my hands dirty,” I leaned my head casually on his tricep, looking at my nails. “Takes ages to get the blood out sometimes.” 

“I think we should call the boss,” the third man mumbled. 

“Oh aye, that’ll do,” I motioned to one of the chairs and Eliot pulled it out for me immediately. I grabbed my phone before sitting and propping my feet on their table. I took a risk and texted my father, telling him to play along. Immediately after I video called him. He answered quickly and I smiled. 

“Hello, Da,” I saw him frown at my appearance, “I'm here in Portland. They’re being real shits, like you said.” 

“Aye?” he demanded. He was a smart man, he knew I needed him to agree. 

“Can I have a little fun with them?” I smiled. 

“Aye,” he grunted again, “Leave at least one alive this time, and call me when it's over.” I turned the phone so they could see him giving me the instruction and put it back in my pocket as he hung up. 

I stood, stretching my arms up, “Alright, who gets to stay breathing?” I heard a thud behind me and looked over. A fifth man had tried to sneak up on Eliot. He was now unconscious on the floor. I sighed and leaned over to snatch my knife off of the table. I looked the big man in the eye as I put the tip of my knife on his chest, “I'm done playin’. Take me to the person in charge or die bleeding on the floor while I find him myself. Your choice.” I pushed just enough to pierce the skin. He glared at me, but wisely turned to lead the way. 

As we headed up some stairs, I saw a man in another corner of the warehouse below. He had a shiny black eye and a swollen cheek, but I recognized the face. Eliot saw him too. There were too many for us to make a move now, but at least we knew Jimmy was alive. The door to the top office opened and I almost gave away the entire con. Behind the desk sat the only man I’d been intimate with after Cate had been born. 

“Niall,” I raised an eyebrow and strode in like everything was fine. 

“Deirdre. What are you doing here?” he smiled broadly and walked directly to me. Before I knew what he was about his lips were on mine and his arms around me. He pulled back with a grin, “Ah, lass, I've missed those lips! Did you come to visit then? Is your da here?” he looked over at Eliot, and I did too. His face was a blank canvas but his eyes were angry. 

“Who might you be?” Niall asked Eliot. Eliot didn’t answer, just crossed his arms. 

“He’s with me. Da isn’t here. We heard some rumors things weren’t what they should be, so I offered to come check it out. Things were getting boring at home,” I answered, turning Niall's face back to me. 

“I’ve never been happier about bad rumors,” he grinned at me, but sobered an instant later, “What have you heard, love?” 

“A little of this, a little of that,” I pulled at his hand, coming down the stairs. I saw Eliot’s dark gaze on Niall. I’d seen that look often. He wanted to kill him. I smiled at Niall, keeping him distracted, “Why don't ya come show me it's not true?” I let Niall move in front of me and made a face at Eliot, hoping he understood what it meant. He raised an eyebrow at me, but stayed quiet. 

Niall made a show of his operation. He made sure I knew that it was a well oiled machine. We came upon the room Jimmy was in and Niall was discussing the money laundering that was handled here. I listened with a half ear, pretending to inspect everything. I walked up to Jimmy and looked him in the face. He looked extremely nervous as I approached. I turned to Niall, “What happened here?” I pointed at Jimmy. 

“A small disagreement. Nothin’ to worry about. Jimmy is all straightened out, aren’t ya?” Niall asked Jimmy with a smile. 

“Aye,” Jimmy answered hesitantly. 

I pulled Niall to the side, “I feel like you aren’t being honest with me. What happened?” 

“Jimmy was hesitant to do his job. We corrected his priorities,” Niall explained. 

“Give him to me,” I said on impulse. 

“What?” Niall asked shocked. 

“Everything seems to be on the up and up here. I’ll report it back to Da. But,” I leaned into Niall, “Give Jimmy to me. It’s been ages since I’ve had fun.” 

He looked thoughtful, “You’ll put in a good word for me back home?” 

“Don’t I always?” I grinned at him. He stared at me for a moment before nodding. I looked at Eliot, “Have the man bring our car. We have a package to take home with us.” I watched Eliot pull out his phone and say a few words. I walked back to Jimmy and took his arm, “You’re coming with me, handsome.” 

“W-what? Why?” Jimmy asked. 

“Don’t question the lady, Jimmy. Just go,” Niall demanded. I followed Eliot out the door, forcefully pulling Jimmy with me. He was shaking now and it was getting harder to keep up appearances. Niall followed us out, and when we were outside, Hardison pulled up in Eliot’s car. He got out and opened the back door. I shoved Jimmy in and Hardison climbed in behind him. Eliot opened the front door for me and I turned to Niall. 

“Thank you for the present. I’ll come back after I tell Da about the operation here. Job well done,” I smiled at him and got in the car. Eliot got in the driver’s seat and we peeled away from the warehouse. After a couple of miles we slowed and all took a breath. The silence didn’t last long. 

“Who in the hell was that?” Eliot demanded. 

“His name is Niall,” I answered, looking out the window. 

“He looked pretty comfortable with you,” Eliot growled and I looked over to see him gripping the steering wheel. 

“I don’t think this is a conversation I’d like to have here,” I answered. 

“I agree,” Hardison answered from the back. 

“Who are you people?” Jimmy asked cautiously. Hardison explained everything to him as we headed to the office and by the time we arrived, he was crying happy tears. We led him in and the team worked on getting him and the family out of town. Hardison had them set up with new identities and new home very quickly. Within the hour, they would be on a flight and no one would ever find them again. Hardison made sure they would be set for a long time, and even made sure they had work waiting for them. Nate and Eliot would be transporting them to the airport. Everything seemed well in hand, so I let Sophie know I was headed out. Quietly I headed back to my hotel room. It had been a very emotional day. Eliot’s revelation, seeing Niall, helping Jimmy. My brain wasn’t doing well processing everything. There was a note on the counter from Trish. She’d taken Cate to a movie at the local theater. I took a shower, cleaning all traces of Demon away. I walked out to the sitting room and picked up my laptop. I could get some writing done at least. About half an hour later there was a knock on the door. I rubbed my eyes, stood and answered it. 

“Forget your key?” I asked, expecting Trish. The smile dropped off of my face as I saw Eliot.


	6. The reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of smut?

“Thought you were headed to the airport?” I asked.   
“Already been. I came straight here. Can I come in?” he motioned inside.   
“Aye, of course,” I moved and he walked into the room. I closed the door and turned to face him. He stood looking at me, arms crossed across his chest. “What brings you here?” I asked.   
“Who is he?” his voice was quiet.   
“Is that what you want to talk about?” I moved past him, going into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water. He gave me a nod and I sighed, “Niall was a one night stand about one year ago. I was drunk, I’d been doing work for the mob, and I didn’t want to think about it.” I stopped, wondering how much I really wanted to say, “I’d been thinking about you instead and suddenly he was there. He caught me at a vulnerable moment. I stayed away from him after that. Haven’t had a drink since then either.”   
Eliot watched me for a moment, “I wanted to kill him, the moment he put his hands on you. It took everything in me to stand still. De, I should’ve told you that first night, but the mission I took,” he trailed off.   
“I know,” I confessed, “I heard your conversation with Sophie.”   
“You heard? Then why did you leave?” He asked, stepping closer to me.   
“I didn’t want to tell you about Niall,” I shrugged.   
He laughed a little, “So you weren’t running from me?”  
“What? Why would I do that?” I asked in surprise.   
“Because of this,” and then Eliot was there, his hands on my waist. His lips met mine and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. Eliot deepened the kiss and I pulled away to lead him to the bedroom. I had no idea how long Trish would be gone and I didn’t need her walking in on us. He pulled off his shirt, kicked off his boots, and followed me. As soon as I had closed the door his hands were on me again. I undid his belt, unbuttoning the jeans he was wearing and he kicked them away. I shimmied out of the shorts I’d been wearing and Eliot stepped back to look at me.   
“I’ve been reliving that night in my memories for two years,” he whispered, “but somehow you look even more beautiful now.” I blushed and pulled him close, kissing him. He lifted me and turned to the bed. We tumbled onto it. This was probably a terrible idea, I knew it even as I ran my hand down his stomach. He growled as I took him into my hand and I shivered. He took my nipple with his mouth and I shifted to give him better access. His fingers slid up my thigh and I moaned as he caressed me.  
“I have been wanting to do this since I saw you again, De. Wanting to touch you, taste you.” His words sent ripples of pleasure across my skin. I ran my hands through his hair and pulled him back to me for a kiss. He shifted until he was between my legs and we both moaned as he entered me. I arched my back as he thrust. After a moment of hurried kisses and whispered praises, I pushed him back and flipped our positions so I was on top. I slid back down onto him and leaned my head back as I rode him. His hands gripped my hips, guiding my rhythm and digging his heels in to thrust up.   
“Fuck, De. You feel amazing,” his voice was a growl and he ran a hand up my thigh, running his thumb over my clit. I gasped and rocked my hips faster. He matched the speed and soon I was screaming his name as I came around him. He flipped us again and pulled out before his own release and I understood why. We didn’t need anymore surprises. He laid next to me and pulled me into his arms.   
“Where is everyone else?”   
“Movie. Should be back any minute.”   
“Then should I go?”   
I hesitated, “No. Please don’t.”   
He kissed my head, “Alright. I’ll be here then.”


End file.
